The immune system consist of special cells that protect the body against bacterias, viruses, and other external agents like germs and other microorganisms. the immune system keeps people healthy by preventing infections. Through a process called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms and susbstances that invade the body and cause disease.
The immune system is composed of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together. The cells that are involved are called Leukocytes or white blood cells, and there are several types that combine to seek out and destroy the disease-causing organisms, including B cells, T cells, and Natural killer cells.
The B cells secrete antibodies, these are proteins that attach to some kind of antigens.
The T cells attack intruders directly and some of these cells help T or B cells to multiply.
The natural killer cells attack tumor cells and cells that are infected with viruses. Natural killer cells attack all kinds of intruders.
The immune system is an amazing mechanism that prorect your body, it is designed to defend us from millions of bacteria, viruses, toxins, etc that could invade our body. When someting dies the immune system shuts down, and in hours the body is invaded with all this bacterias and viruses. Nevertheless, this does not happen when the immune system is working,
It is a little complicated to understand the immune system, but it is also very interesting to learn how our body works and how it defend it self.
Another important point to talk about is how when we get sick, the symptoms are part of the body's way to fight the illness. We could think that the symtppoms are something that the illness did to us, when in reality it is just a strategy for fighting the illness. Sleep is a way for the body to conserve energy so that the body can devote more energy to its immune attack against the intruders, and moderate fever helps fight the illness.
I found a very good video that helped me to understand the concept of the immune system and its functions. It is very interesting, I just wish to have wathched it before today :)
First off I liked the little diagram you included with the blog. It added nice necessary detail to inform the readers exactly what you were talking about. It is great timing to read about white blood cells. I got very ill this past weekend and I ended up in the hospital. While I was in the hospital I was told that my white blood count was elevated. Which because of this class I know means that my body was attacking something that was harming my body. It is always nice to have something we learn in the classroom apply to every day life. Especially when I was nervous in the hospital and I was having trouble understanding all the doctor jibberish. As always it is good to see how exactly our body works!
ReplyDelete